Finish Strong for Finals
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Every college student dreads finals week. Students spend hours writing essays and creating study guides that resemble small novels. Stress reaches an all-time high, especially since college is a high-achieving environment. During finals week, student focus narrows entirely to external academic achievement, whether the goal is to achieve a certain word count or letter grade. Nothing else seems as important as passing those exams.
As a college student, I find that I put too much pressure on myself during finals week. I sacrifice sleep to study, drink more coffee than I should, and spend entirely too much time eating junk (Kit Kats are my snack of choice). Everything else, including self-care, falls to the wayside. Why is this? Why should I, and maybe you, sacrifice basic self-care for an ‘A’ that won’t matter much in five years? In an effort to preserve physical and mental health for the upcoming finals season, here’s a short list of self-care reminders.
1) Take breaks to see your friends.
Climbing out of your study space is essential every once in a while. Whether it’s eating a meal with friends or taking a walk around campus, social interaction will give your brain a much-needed break from schoolwork. Studies show that socialization even makes us more confident in our capacity to cope with future stressors.
2) Exercise!
Regular exercise directs our internal energy outward, helping us release tension. High stress can manifest as physical symptoms like bloating, nausea, and headaches, so we have to pay extra attention to our physical health. When we exercise, we release endorphins, which help us cope with stress and simply make us feel good.
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3) Go outside.
Please take time to see the sun! Sunlight exposure improves mood by boosting production of serotonin in the brain, which correlates with feelings of contentment and calmness. At Notre Dame where I’m a student, sunlight can be scarce, so take advantage of it when you can (I hear it’s supposed to be bright this weekend).
4) Get your sleep.
This is both the most important and most cliche self-care reminder I have to give. Seven to nine hours is ideal, and the benefits of sleep beat cramming for the exam every time. Sleeping is essential for learning since we consolidate memories in our sleep. When it comes down to the night before the final, choose sleep over cramming.
During the upcoming finals week, remember to take care of yourself. Finals put stress on both the mind and body, but they don't mean we can’t stay healthy. We can finish strong.
Strike Out,
Writer: Maddie Arruebarrena
Editors: Katie Sharp, Natalie Daskal
Notre Dame
